Kylian Mbappe to Liverpool is a transfer story that will not go away as the French superstar's contract edges closer to having just 12 months remaining at PSG.
Liverpool owner John W Henry reportedly took Mbappe's family on a private jet tour around Nice bay for a couple of hours in 2017 in an attempt to lure him to Anfield.
Mbappe has praised Liverpool and manager Jurgen Klopp several times in recent seasons, calling them a 'machine' last year as they romped to the Premier League title.
And earlier this week, he refused to commit his future to PSG, adding further to the transfer speculation surrounding the player, who PSG would reportedly want €200m for this summer, just a year before he could potentially leave for nothing.
That is a figure that few clubs in the world could afford, with Liverpool, Man City and Juventus named as possible destinations by reports in France in the aftermath of Mbappe's comments about his future this week.
But it has always been thought that the player would like to play for Real Madrid at some stage.
Becoming the latest Galactico would be an appealing prospect, and with the latest rumours and a week that has seen Mbappe score a hat-trick against Barcelona at Camp Nou, Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was inevitably asked about the situation.
"I’m not surprised by what Mbappe did at the Camp Nou," Zidane said on Friday.
"I took pleasure in what he achieved because we know each other.
"I watch all the games and I enjoy it when I see good things. But that is just like all the fans.
"Do I prefer Mbappe or Erling Haaland? Well, as I was saying, what I like is to see good players.
"[They are] two tremendous players [Mbappe and Haaland], for now and the future.
"They are quality players both of them, just like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo... Neymar, all these world-class players, they’re just like them.
"They’re younger, they’re demonstrating they are not just players for the future but players for the present, but I’m not going to answer who I prefer.
"The important thing is that these players are excellent.
"Am I motivated by being Mbappe’s idol? As always, I have already answered many times about that.
"Like I said, what I like is just watching football. I just like watching good football, good players on the pitch.
"The most important thing for me is what we do [against Real Valladolid] because we have a very important match.
"But that does not prevent the fact that we saw what happened with a lot of interest and pleasure."
PSG and Mauricio Pochettino are still hopeful that they can persuade Mbappe to sign an extension at the Ligue 1 club, but until that happens, speculation is likely to persist about one of the hottest talents in world football.
